2 Installing Oracle Database and Creating a Database

Install Options

You can choose to create and configure a database, or to only install the database software.

You can create a preconfigured database or a custom-configured database during installation. If you choose not to create a database during installation, then you must run DBCA after installation to create a database.

Preconfigured databases are based on templates that Oracle provides or that you create. Each Oracle-provided template is optimized for a particular workload type. See Table 2-2, "Oracle-Provided DBCA Templates and Their Corresponding Workloads" for information about the types of preconfigured databases.

If you choose to use the Desktop Class installation method, then the general purpose database template is used. To create a custom database in which you configure your own database structure, see "About Advanced Installation".

Installation Method

The installation methods are divided into Desktop Class and Server Class:

• Desktop Class—This installation class is most appropriate for laptop or desktop computers. It includes a starter database and requires minimal configuration.

• Server Class—This installation class is for servers, such as you would find in a data center, or used to support enterprise-level applications. Choose this installation class if you need access to advanced configuration options.

During a Desktop Class installation, you make only basic choices. For a Server Class installation, you choose either typical installation (where you make only basic choices) or advanced installation.

During a Desktop Class or a typical installation, Oracle Database automatically installs the sample schemas.

Installation Type

When you install Oracle Database during basic and advanced installations, you need answers for the questions listed in this section. OUI provides default values for every choice.

• What type of database edition installation do you want to perform?

  Your choices are:

  • Enterprise Edition—This installation type is the full-featured Oracle Database product that provides data management for enterprise-level applications. It is intended for mission-critical, high-security online transaction processing (OLTP) and data warehousing environments.

  • Standard Edition—This installation type is suitable for workgroup or department-level applications, and for small to medium-sized enterprises. It provides core relational database management services and options and includes an integrated set of management tools, replication, Web features, and facilities for building business-critical applications.

  • Standard One Edition—This installation type is suitable for workgroup, department, or web applications. It provides core relational database management services for single-server environments or highly distributed branch environments. Oracle Standard Edition One includes all the facilities necessary to build business-critical applications.

  • Personal Edition (Microsoft Windows operating systems only)—This installation type installs the same software as the Enterprise Edition, but supports only a single-user, development and deployment environment.

• What are your database configuration options?

Software Installation Directories

You must specify the directory in which the Oracle Database software is installed, or the location where the product binary files are copied from the installation media. You must choose a location that has enough disk space to contain the software and is accessible by the operating system user performing the installation.

You also specify the location of the Oracle base directory, which is used by all Oracle software products installed on the server. The first time you install Oracle Database software on a server, you are prompted to specify the location of the inventory directory, called oraInventory. This directory provides a centralized inventory of all Oracle software products installed on the server. You should use the same value for the Oracle inventory directory each time you perform an Oracle software installation on the server.

Database File Location

A database includes several files that store the user data, database metadata, and information required to recover from failures. As an administrator, you decide what kind of storage subsystem to use for these files. You can select from the following options:

• File System—This default option creates database files that are managed by the file system of your operating system. You can specify the directory path where database files are to be stored. Oracle Database can create and manage the actual files.

  If you are not certain about which option to use, then select File System (the default).

• Automatic Storage Management—This option enables you to place your data files in Oracle Automatic Storage Management (Oracle ASM) disk groups. If you choose Oracle ASM, then Oracle Database automatically manages database file placement and naming. For environments with a large number of disks, this option simplifies database administration and maximizes performance. Oracle ASM performs software striping and mirroring at the file level for maximum storage flexibility, performance, and availability.

  Oracle ASM uses an Oracle ASM instance, which is distinct from the database instance, to configure and manage disk groups. A single Oracle ASM instance can provide storage for multiple databases on the same server.

  For more information, see "About Oracle Automatic Storage Management" and Oracle Automatic Storage Management Administrator's Guide.

Database Identifiers

These options include your global database name and system identifier (SID). The SID is a unique identifier that is used to distinguish this instance from other Oracle Database instances that you may create later and run concurrently on your system.

The global database name is the full name of the database that uniquely distinguishes it from any other database. The global database name is in the form database_name.database_domain, for example sales.example.com. The database name portion sales is a simple name you call your database. The database domain portion example.com specifies the database domain in which the database is located. Together, the database name and domain form the global database name.

About Advanced Installation

During advanced installations using the Server Class method you are prompted to make the additional choices listed in this section, and the choices for a typical installation. The installation process provides default values for every choice.

This guide describes, but does not document, these additional advanced installation choices. For more information, see Oracle Database Installation Guide for your platform.

• Product Languages

  You choose which language the software should use after it is installed. You can select multiple languages. The default value is English. If you choose a value other than English, it does not change the language used by the installation.

• Database Configuration Type

  You select a template to use when configuring the database. You can choose either either General Purpose/Transaction Processing or Data Warehousing.

• Database Configuration Options

  You can choose how to configure the database created by the installer. You can select the memory size and management options, the character sets used to store data, the security options for database access, and whether the sample schemas should be installed.

  To complete the exercises in this guide and related course material, you must install the sample schemas. This data is also used in most examples throughout Oracle Database documentation. Oracle recommends that you install the sample schemas.

  This choice is a configuration option only during advanced installation. Sample schemas are installed by default during typical or Desktop class installations.

• Database Management Options

  You specify whether to manage your database centrally or locally using Oracle Enterprise Manager. Central management enables you to manage multiple targets, such as databases and application servers, using a single interface. Using local management you can manage only a single database instance at a time.

  To use central management, you must have an Oracle Enterprise Management agent on each host, or computer that has Oracle Database software installed on it. These agents are responsible for monitoring all components on that host. If an agent is not found on the local host, then this option is disabled during installation.

  If you are setting up a single database for the first time, then it is recommended that you configure local management with Oracle Enterprise Manager, which is the default. You can later install additional databases and configure central management using Enterprise Manager.

• Recovery Options

  You specify whether automated backups should be configured for the database. If you choose this option, you must specify whether the recovery area should be stored on the local file system or in an Oracle ASM disk group. You must also specify the operating system credentials the backup job uses when performing backups.

  Note:

  To use Oracle ASM for recovery area storage, you must have installed Oracle ASM as part of an Oracle grid infrastructure installation and created one or more disk groups before performing the Oracle Database installation.

• Schema Passwords

  When you create a database, certain administrative user accounts are created automatically. You are prompted to enter the passwords for the SYS, SYSTEM, SYSMAN, and DBSNMP accounts, which enable you to manage and administer the database. You can use the same password for each account, or specify passwords for each account individually. If you do not enter a secure password, you will receive a warning message during installation.

• Operating System Groups

  Administrative access to the database is granted by membership in certain operating system groups. You can choose the operating system group to be used for SYSDBA access (typically dba) and SYSOPER access (typically oper).

  The SYSDBA group identifies operating system user accounts that have database administrative privileges and can log in with SYSDBA access. The SYSOPER group is an optional group for users that should have limited database administrative privileges. See "SYSDBA and SYSOPER System Privileges" for more information about these groups and privileges.

Step 2 - Database Templates

This window enables you to select the type of database to create. You can use DBCA to create a database from templates supplied by Oracle or from templates that you create. The templates contain settings optimized for a particular type of workload.

Oracle ships templates for the following two workload types:

• General purpose or transaction processing

• Data warehouse

Click Show Details to see the configuration for each type of database. Select the template suited to the type of workload your database will support. If you are not sure which to choose, then select the default General Purpose or Transaction Processing template.

For more complex environments, you can select the Custom Database option. This option does not use templates and results in a more extensive interview, which means that it takes longer to create your database.

For more information about using database templates, see "Managing Templates with DBCA".

Step 3 - Database Identification

In the Global Database Name field, enter the database name in the form database_name.domain_name.

In the SID field, enter the system identifier. The SID defaults to the database name and uniquely identifies the instance that runs the database.

Step 4 - Management Options

Use this window to set up your database so it can be managed with Oracle Enterprise Manager. Oracle Enterprise Manager provides Web-based management tools for individual databases, and central management tools for managing your entire Oracle environment.

Select Configure Enterprise Manager to use Enterprise Manager. Then, select one option:

• If the Oracle Management Agent is installed on your host computer, then you can choose central management by selecting Register with Grid Control for centralized management and then selecting the Management Service.

• To manage your database locally, select Configure Database Control for local management. You can then optionally configure e-mail notification of database alerts or a daily backup of the database.

Step 5 - Database Credentials

In this window, specify the passwords for the administrative accounts such as SYS and SYSTEM.

Step 6 - Database File Locations

In this window, specify the type of storage you would like your database to use. For more information, see "About Advanced Installation".

Then specify the locations for the Oracle database files. Select one of the following options:

• Use Database File Locations from Template—This option instructs DBCA to use the directory information as specified in the template. Later, you can make modifications to database file names and locations.

• Use Common Location for All Database Files—This option requires you to specify a new directory for the Oracle home. All the database files are created in this location. Later, you can make modifications to database file names and locations.

• Use Oracle Managed Files—This option instructs Oracle Database to directly manage operating system files comprising an Oracle database. You specify the default location, called a database area, for all your files. Oracle Database thereafter automatically creates and deletes files in this location, as required. You can also create multiple copies of your redo and online log files by selecting Multiplex Redo Logs and Control Files. To learn more about online redo log files and control files, see Chapter 9, "Performing Backup and Recovery".

  Selecting this option enables you to delegate the complete management of database files to the database. You no longer have to specify the file names, their location, or their sizes.

Step 7 - Recovery Configuration

When you create a new database, it is important to configure the database so you can recover your data if a system failure occurs. Online redo log files contain a record of changes that were made to data files. Online redo log files are stored in online redo log groups. You must have at least two online redo log groups for your database. After the online redo log files in a group have filled up, the log writer process (LGWR) switches the writing of redo records to a new online redo log group. Oracle Database can automatically save the inactive group of online redo log files to one or more offline destinations, known collectively as the archived redo log (also called the archive log). The process of turning online redo log files into archived redo log files is called archiving.

Archiving can be performed only if the database is running in ARCHIVELOG mode. A group of online redo log files cannot be reused by the log writer (LGWR) process until the group is archived. If the database is running in NOARCHIVELOG mode, then when a group becomes inactive after the LGWR process switches to a new group, the inactive group is available for immediate reuse by the LGWR process.

The NOARCHIVELOG mode protects a database from instance failure but not from media failure. Only the most recent changes made to the database, which are stored in the online redo log files, are available for instance recovery. To restore a database operating in NOARCHIVELOG mode, you can use only entire database backups taken while the database is closed. Therefore, if you operate a database in NOARCHIVELOG mode, then back up the entire database at regular, frequent intervals.

The archiving of online redo log files has the following advantages:

• A database backup, with online and archived redo log files, guarantees that you can recover all committed transactions if the operating system or hardware fails.

• You can recover the database using a backup that was taken while the database was open and being used, if you have a copy of the archived log files that were written while the database was being backed up.

• You can perform online tablespace backups, and use these backups to restore a tablespace following media failure.

• You can keep a standby database current with its original database by continuously applying the original archived redo log files to the standby database.

Before you can archive the online redo log files, you must determine the destination to which you want to archive. Oracle recommends that the archive log be stored in a fast recovery area because it can simplify backup and recovery operations for your database. A fast recovery area is a location in which Oracle Database can store and manage files related to backup and recovery. It is distinct from the database area, which is a location for the current database files (data files, control files, and online redo log files).

When creating your database, you can select the following options:

• Specify Fast Recovery Area—Select this option to specify a backup and recovery area and its directory location and size. You can use variables to identify standard locations.

• Enable Archiving—Select this option to enable the archiving of database online redo log files, which can be used to recover a database. Selecting this option is the same as enabling Archive Log Mode in Oracle Enterprise Manager Database Control or running the database in ARCHIVELOG mode.

  Oracle recommends you select Enable Archiving. Selecting this option provides better protection for your database for software or hardware failure. If you do not select this option now, then you can enable ARCHIVELOG mode later. See "Configuring Your Database for Basic Backup and Recovery".

Step 8 - Database Content

When you create your database, you can load it with data using either of the following methods:

• Sample Schemas—Select Sample Schemas to include the Sample Schemas (EXAMPLE) tablespace in your database. Oracle guides and educational materials contain examples based upon the Sample Schemas. Oracle recommends that you include them in your database.

• Custom Scripts—In the Custom Scripts subpage, optionally specify one or more SQL scripts to run after your database is created. Scripts are useful for performing postinstallation tasks, such as loading custom schemas. Note that if you choose to run scripts after installation, then your scripts must include a connection string that identifies the database. Click Help for more information.

Step 9 - Initialization Parameters

The links in this window provide access to additional windows that enable you to change the default initialization parameter settings. These parameters fall into the following categories:

• Memory

• Sizing

• Character Sets

• Connection Mode

You can also click the All Initialization Parameters button at the bottom of the window to display a list of all the database initialization parameters and their current settings.

Step 10 - Database Storage

In this window, a navigation tree displays the storage structure of your database (control files, data files, online redo log groups, and so forth). If you are not satisfied with the storage structure or parameters, then you can make changes.

Note that if you selected a preconfigured template for a database, then you cannot add or remove control files, data files, or undo segments.

Step 11 - Creation Options

In this window, select any of the following options for creating the database:

• Create Database—Select this option to create your database now.

• Save as a Database Template—Select this option to save the database definition as a template to use at a later time.

• Generate Database Creation Scripts—Select this option to generate a SQL database creation script that you can run at a later time.

After you make your choice, click Finish. A confirmation window appears after a short period. Review the Create Database Summary information, then click OK to proceed.

Advantages of Using Templates

Using templates has the following advantages:

• Time saving. If you use a template, then you do not have to define the database.

• Easy duplication. By creating a template containing your database settings, you can easily create a duplicate database without specifying parameters twice.

• Easy editing. You can quickly change database options from the template settings.

• Easy sharing. Templates can be copied from one computer to another.

Types of Templates

Templates are divided into the following types:

• Seed templates

• Nonseed templates

The characteristics of each are shown in Table 2-1.

DBCA Templates Provided by Oracle

Oracle provides the templates shown in Table 2-2.

Creating Templates Using DBCA

Follow the instructions in this section to create your own templates.

To create templates:

1. Start DBCA as described in "Starting DBCA".

2. In the Operations window, select Manage Templates and click Next.

3. In the Template Management window, select Create a database template and one of the following options, and click Next.

   • From an existing template

     Using an existing template, you can create a new template based on the predefined template settings. You can add or change any template settings such as initialization parameters, storage parameters, or whether to use custom scripts.

   • From an existing database (structure only)

     You can create a new template that contains structural information from an existing database, including database options, tablespaces, data files, and initialization parameters. User-defined schemas and their data will not be part of the created template. The source database can be either local or remote. Select this option when you want the new database to be structurally similar to the source database, but not contain the same data.

   • From an existing database (structure as well as data)

     You can create a new template that has both the structural information and physical data files of an existing database. Databases created using such a template are identical to the source database. User-defined schemas and their data will be part of the created template. The source database must be local. Select this option when you want a template from which you can create an exact replica of the source database.

   When creating templates from existing databases, you can translate file paths into Optimal Flexible Architecture (OFA) or maintain existing file paths. OFA is a set of file naming and placement guidelines for Oracle software and databases. Using OFA is recommended if the target computer on which you plan to create a database using the template has a different directory structure than computer on which the template was defined. Standard file paths can be used if the target computer has a directory structure that is similar to the directory structure on the source computer.

4. Follow the instructions in the DBCA guided workflow to create your template.

Deleting Templates

When you delete a template, it is no longer available to create a new database or a new template.

To delete a template:

1. Start DBCA as described in "Starting DBCA".

2. In the Operations window, select Manage Templates and click Next.

3. In the Template Management window, select Delete a database template and click Next.

4. Select the template to delete and click Finish.